Currently, the Fortune 500 is led by only 25 female CEOs. In a recent study conducted by Pew Research Center, 34% of respondents surveyed believe that male executives are better than women executives at assuming risk.

Moreover, when asked about specific industries women could support, a significant portion felt that men would do a better job leading technology, oil and gas, and finance companies, whereas women would be strongest at running retail and food companies.

In order to attract more women into the STEM professions, it’s essential to broaden the STEM conversation to focus more on entrepreneurship and innovation, and to lift the discussion beyond such negative dimensions as glass ceilings and pay disparity.

That’s the advice of Nicole McMackin, president of Irvine Technology, an IT staffing and technology services provider in Irvine, Calif. In an interview earlier this week, McMackin, an outspoken advocate for women in technology who sits on the CEO board of her alma mater, the University of California at Irvine, said she has spoken with several of the deans there about the need to broaden the STEM conversation:

If you look at where the STEM fall-off is, it’s happening right as girls are moving into high-school age. In my personal opinion, based on a lot of research and studying, and being an entrepreneur myself in the technology industry, STEM is a part of the conversation, but what is still lacking in that conversation is entrepreneurship and innovation—solving real problems. This is where the jobs are going to be, but no one is having that real conversation, even at the university level, which I’ve pitched to UC Irvine over and over and over again.

Over the past few years, skilled developers and tech professionals have been in high demand for startups and corporations alike. And 2016 will be no exception. What will be different, however, is the sheer quantity of specialties companies are seeking in order to fill highly specific gaps, from data engineers to machine learning experts with deep knowledge of their fields.

Given that many companies are already hiring — or will be shortly — I asked 15 startup founders from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) which categories of technical talent they are looking for this year and why these roles will be so impactful.

One of the greatest characteristics of computer technology also can be problematic. It’s ever-evolving. While that’s exciting for techies, it can be a headache for business leaders, whether they are corporate executives or small business owners.Businesses periodically need to upgrade or replace creaky computer systems, or risk falling behind their competitors. If they try to muddle through with a cranky jalopy when everyone else moved up to the latest sports car, they may find themselves out of the race for consumer dollars. “One thing companies need to remember is that as the capabilities of technology continue to rise, so do the expectations of their customers,” says Nicole McMackin, president of Irvine Technology Corp. (www.irvinetechcorp.com), which specializes in information technology solutions and staffing.“The bar keeps being raised higher and higher in terms of how quickly and efficiently customers expect to be served.”But weighing whether to invest a substantial sum in updated technology when other needs are pressing can leave management in a quandary. Is it time to junk the system entirely and start over? Can the current system be salvaged with just an update here or there? Or is everything fine – at least for now? “Frankly, unless they happen to work for a high-tech company, most business leaders probably don’t consider information technology to be one of their areas of expertise,” McMackin says.

IT Innovators: Using an IT Assessment to Cut Cost, Reduce Risk and Improve Governance And Security

Irvine Technology Corporation’s Nicole McMackin uncovers the true value of an IT assessment and how it can benefit you.

Sometimes a company’s IT issues are obvious: the computers are outdated, the server isn’t adequate, or the staff needs specific training. But in other cases, optimizing an information technology platform to meet the business’ strategic goals isn’t quite so straightforward. This is where an IT assessment becomes valuable. But what is it, what are its benefits and when do you need one?

Those are questions Nicole McMackin, president of Irvine Technology Corporation, a technology solutions firm based in California, and her company set their sights on answering. Those answers may prove useful to IT professionals everywhere.

“An IT assessment is where a company skilled to make assessments comes in, and as an outsider, reviews your existing information technology and services platform,” says McMackin. The assessment team defines efficiencies and cost, and finds areas for improvements in governance and security.

In essence, an IT assessment involves mapping out a company’s current information technology system, and then mapping out the IT system the company should have. An IT assessment team makes recommendations on what can be done with IT at a company in order to align it with the efficiencies the business has in mind.

The assessment encompasses a firm’s software, process, people, servers, and telecom, McMackin says. That review involves looking at the technology and systems in place and the overall cost structure of the IT group, to determine if it’s in line with both current and future company strategy.

But the process also goes beyond that to include an assessment of the company’s staffing picture—and analysis of how it all fits together to support the company’s business goals.

“It goes as in-depth as looking at their current systems, looking at the people and their resumes and how long they’ve been working at that institution,” McMackin says. An assessment team works to determine if the company has the right people in place, in the ideal roles, working with the correct technology. “It becomes a very detailed process,” she says.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA—CES, the giant annual showcase for the latest consumer technology, officially kicks off tomorrow. However, we’re already here at tech’s biggest show to see what the industry giants have in store for consumers this year. We got a behind-the-scenes preview on Monday night; click link below to see all the best gadgets and gear we’ve seen so far.